Change of Heart
by ashford2ashford
Summary: FINISHED! Bakura realises that the rift between him and Ryou must now close, and to do it...he would have to convince Ryou to let him explain things first...
1. The Change

A Change of Heart

Disclaimers: If I owned any of these characters, I'd be kicking up millions! But I don't…so I'm stuck in a little convenience store with damn customers all day!

Pairing(s): Yami/Yugi, Malik/Mariku (not mentioned but rather hinted), Ryou/Bakura

Warnings: This was just something I knocked together in about 30 minutes for the sake of writing something with my favourite pairings in, so don't go mad at me if it either a) doesn't make sense, or b) is slightly wrong by the Yugioh timeline. Like I say, I only wrote this for fun.  
Actually, I think it develops a plot later on, more around the style of Bakura regretting everything he's ever done to Ryou, but the beginning is still a little sketchy, and starts off with a humoured feel.  
If any of you can improve my pathetic beginning, then let me know!

Thanks!  
Ashford2ashford

…

…

Bakura sighed, his energy gone, his eyes closed, and his entire body spread out over Ryou's couch, not caring whether the hikari was going to freak when he came in through the door. It felt weird, being back here, especially after being in the shadow realm for so long, but Bakura felt sure he would adjust to it soon.

"Well, I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow, Yugi."

"'Kay, Bakura!"

Bakura rolled his eyes. His hikari was home from school early, and to make matters worse, he had walked home with Yugi and had gotten used to the little gang calling him by his second name. He couldn't wait for the little light to come through the door.

"Bakura, can I borrow your notes? I think I've forgotten mine."  
"Sure, Yugi…come in, I'll get them off my bed."

Bakura sat up, new energy flowing through him and a manic grin spreading like butter across his face. The Pharaoh's little baka hikari was coming in! Unsuspecting, innocent, and the holder of the Millennium Puzzle! Life was going to get more interesting!

There was a rattle of keys in the lock.

"Oh my. I'm so sorry Yugi. This door sticks sometime. I do hope you're not in a rush."  
"No. It's okay, Baku-chan. I can wait."

By now, Bakura was eagerly awaiting the opening of the door, the sight of the horror on the two little hikari's faces when they stepped in, the screams that would ensue, especially from Yugi. His grin was threatening to push his ears from his face.

The door opened.

"Make yourself at home, Yugi. Umm…could I offer you a drink?"  
"Yeah sure…I would like…huh? Who's that?"

There was the sound of a beeping horn and then Yugi and Ryou began to laugh and shout over the road at something. Bakura bit his lip and uttered a few Egyptian curses.

"MALIK-SAMA!"  
"Malik-chan! Come on in!"  
"Long time no see!"

The ex-tomb robber slammed his head against the table and hissed inwardly. Not only was Ryou hanging around with Yugi and his groupies, but now Malik? He bristled and then heard a gasp behind him, followed by a startled cry.  
Whirling round, he came face to face with little Yugi, and his grin widened even more so.

"Hello, little hikari!" ("light" the other word for the lighter sides) He hissed, his tone sinister, stalking towards the little light, his hands locked into claws. "How was your day at school? I daresay, you won't be taking another…"

Then the pain began…as Malik walked through a different door…and slammed it into Bakura. The tomb robber cursed again and this time didn't stop, his face twisted up into agony, his foot caught behind the door.

"KUSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" (Or "shit" in English) He yelled, barely noticing Yugi running past him and towards the 'safety' of Malik, who still had no idea what he had just saved Yugi from.

"What's going on? Is everything all right in here? Oh my! Bakura!" Ryou rushed into the room and stepped around Bakura as one would step around some one with a contagious disease, or who was a disease in Bakura's case.

Bakura howled in anger and then yanked his foot from out of the door, before realising that there was a sinister figure laughing behind Malik. To make matters worse, the laughing was at him, and this only enraged the injured soul stealer even more.

"Mariku." Bakura growled, rubbing his foot, "You look…" he did a double take at the now present Mariku, "…short?"

True to Bakura's word, Mariku only stood about two foot tall, and the mini yami was not at all happy about it. Not at all. Although Bakura had to admit, at this size, Mariku looked far more cute than intimidating, and the prospect of torturing the stuck up little six-year-old Egyptian was – wait. That was it!

"I see you've finally started looking your age." Bakura commented, still completely oblivious to the three staring hikari's, more interested in the merciless teasing of one who used to have so much power.

"Silence you slimy soul stealer!" Little Mariku demanded, his sennen eye still glowing ever so brightly on his forehead. Bakura grinned, "Or you'll do what, short stuff?"

Before the mini terror could react, the presence of a stronger, more powerful being was felt in the room, a booming and deep voice demanding, "That's enough you two! This is Ryou's house, and Ryou makes the rules. You are trespassing in Ryou's home, Thief Lord!"

Mariku and Bakura turned around and saw the ever so familiar sight of the Pharaoh standing there, stood towering over Yugi, his arms folded, and a stern look in his eyes.  
Bakura gave a "humph" in reply and then sat down on the couch, poking at the mini Mariku. "This was my home also, Pharaoh. I lived here for years."

What had started out as a plan to murder innocent hikari's was now turning into an age old spat with the Pharaoh of legend. Of course the age old Thief Lord was determined to win this argument.

Pharaoh Yami/Atemu now stood to one side of Yugi, walking towards the arrogant Thief and the mini Mariku. Mariku gave the same sort of hiss that one might hear a cat making, and Bakura simply stared at the powerful presence, daring him to try and fight.

Instead of doing any fearsome battle to the death, or trying to slaughter the two opposing yami's, the Pharaoh merely sat down on the couch and patted his knee, watching little Yugi carefully as the small hikari made his way over to his yami (darker half) and made himself comfortable on the Pharaoh's knee.  
Bakura and Mariku stared open mouthed and then growled dangerously, realising that instead of world domination or fights to the death, all they were going to get was this sickening display of affection and a cup of tea.

Malik was already sitting down and asking Ryou for a cup of tea, and the Pharaoh was bouncing his hikari up and down on his knee like he was playing with a child. Bakura pouted and realised that with the Pharaoh around, his commanding and threatening presence went unnoticed. Mariku followed Ryou into the kitchen and later returned with some animal crackers, which he sat down on the rug with, and then tortured each one mercilessly.

Bakura sighed and then realised his thoughts were turning to that of the Pharaoh himself. Why did the age-old king insist on being such a bother throughout the ages? More importantly, why was the Tomb Robber devoting precious time to actually thinking about the Pharaoh?

Bakura growled.  
'No…freaking…way…' Bakura's eye twitched and he bit the back of his knuckles in irritation 'I doNOTlike the Pharaoh! Never! Not now! Not ever! NO! I hate him. He's my enemy for Ra's sake'

But even then, his attention was slowly turning to that of the sight of said Pharaoh playing with his hikari. He found that watching the two, light and dark, at play to be most relaxing. Yugi was giggling cutely like he always did when his yami was around, and the stupid baka Pharaoh was laughing his deep reassuring laugh as usual.

'No…it's not the Pharaoh…it's the way the Pharaoh acts…'

Why couldn't Bakura have been like that with Ryou?

'The way he treats his Hikari…that's why I'm watching him…'

Bakura recalled memories of Ryou when the very spirit he could never get away from took his innocence. He remembered the cries of pain, the scream of agony and the constant repetition of "Onegai. Tasukete! Yamero! Onegai…" ("Please! Help me! Stop it! Please!") over and over again, until blood acted as lubricant and the once pure hikari cried his last tears for that night.

The memory brought shivers to Bakura's body. 'And I'd bet my Millennium Ring that the memory hurts Ryou even more'

The tomb robber looked over at Ryou and found that instead of spending some time with him, the hikari would rather talk to Malik. Malik for god's sake! Just thinking about it made Bakura's hair bristle just like a cat's fur does when it feels threatened.

"MUAHAHAHA!!! Little rabbit, your time on this earth is up! Ku ku ku ku!!!" Mariku crunched the cracker between his teeth, spitting out several crumbs and already pummelling a tiger cracker into dust as he spoke.  
Bakura glared daggers at the smaller yami and then, deliberately attention seeking, he stole one of the crackers – a little cat to be precise.

Did that get everyone's attention?

Most certainly.  
Mariku began wailing, hitting the Thief Lord's legs with his tiny arms, and kicking him in the shin. That got everyone's attention! Yami death glared at Bakura, Yugi stared with wide eyes, Malik laughed hysterically, and Ryou…

Bakura did a double take.  
Rather than watch the scene unfold, Ryou had decided that not making any eye contact at all with the ex-tomb robber was the best option for this situation.  
'But…but…but…' Bakura whimpered to himself, 'I thought for sure it would get his attention…

"Well…I'd best get this mini terror home to bed hadn't I?" Malik grinned, picking up a still squirming, still wailing, Mariku by the shirt, "Come on, tiny terror!"  
"For every nickname you think of calling me…I shall kill you!" Mariku replied, snarling as he was dragged out of the door.

"I suppose you must go too Yugi, Pharaoh?" Ryou said it with such…such…horror in his voice, as if he wanted nothing more for them to stay with him!  
It hurt Bakura's heart…had he had one.

"I'm afraid so…little Yugi has his notes and he must study for the tests this year, right aibou?" Yami turned to his 'other self' and smiled softly. Yugi gave Ryou a big hug and then smiled, "Yip! Gotta be up re-ee-eal early in the morning!"

Bakura waited, lost in his thoughts as Ryou said his goodbyes, a hand on his cheek. 'Why is he so scared?' he wondered, 'I…I can change! I'll be nice to him from now on if he wishes! Really!' He was becoming frantic over nothing…

He barely heard Ryou shut the door gently and it was only as the small, dejected teen tried to creep past the open door of the living room did he look up.  
"What are you doing?" He asked, maybe too roughly for Ryou jumped a mile.  
"N-nothing!" Ryou was sounding a little hysterical, backing away as Bakura stood up and advanced on him.

"Is that so? Are you trying to tell me you weren't creeping past the door?"

Ryou's eyes were wide in blind panic, a shadow looming over him, filling up the space of the wall behind him, plunging the area he was in into darkness, he looked up and stared directly into Bakura's eyes, which were cold and hungry…and then the shadow faded, as Bakura walked back into the other room, sitting on the couch and playing with a lock of his spiky white hair, twirling it around one finger and giving soft growls as he did so.

The hikari looked confused.

He could have sworn Bakura was about to attack him! More important than that, he could have also sworn that he briefly saw a flicker of emotion in his darker self's eyes, a glimmer of resentment for the fear he was causing within the heart of his smaller side.

Of course, Bakura didn't show much emotion now. The dark one was more interested in the television, watching some horror movie on the cable. On the television, the dark shadow of the creature loomed over the innocent victim, clawed hands gripping the shoulders of the small one harshly.  
The little one screamed, the monster cackled, pulling the boy closer to him. Ryou stared, his eyes fixed on the screen. The creature cackled once more and then knelt down, as his fingers became tendrils that began to cover the boy in darkness.  
"You're mine." It whispered in a voice as dull as the colour of the gravestone, "You belong to me!"

And then Bakura turned the television off, and Ryou looked startled once more.

"Hikari…" Bakura started to say something, and this time Ryou was eager to hear, but he never finished, "…never mind. I'm going to bed. You can join me later if you wish…"

And then he was gone, and Ryou looked on with surprise as he realised that this may have been the only lucky break he would ever have from his darker half…

…

…

Ashford2ashford: ahh. More random fics that don' t make sense at all…how delightful…well, this is a pathetic attempt at a Ryou/Bakura fic…but I hope you all like it!


	2. Trying

**A Change Of Heart – Part Two – by Ashford2ashford**

Disclaimers: I think in a dream I owned Yugioh and was rich and famous and everyone knew my name…but then I woke up…I hate dreaming now…

**Rating: **R

**Pairing (s): **Ryou/Bakura – aww…they're gonna try and piece it together

**Timeline: **Seeing as it's pretty hard for me to stay to a set timeline, I'm not even going to try. It has none. It's an alternate reality fic! 

**AN: **The second chapter is here, and I've tried a different writing style…just for you! I was reading "The Shining" by Stephen King…a hell of a great book…I think I'll read more of his (I've only read three!) after this…  
Anyways, I was reading it and I read a particular way he has of mixing the actual storyline with random trains of thought and flashback (as seen in commas like this) and so I figured I'd try it out…  
So I hope you enjoy my playing.  
I know it reads a little confusing…but that adds to their confusion…so no worries, eh?  
And remember! TASTEFUL comments! No flames. Please. I don't like retards who don't read this. If you don't like it, don't read it! I DID give you a summary! 

**Summary: **Bakura's regretting doing what he did to Ryou in the past, but how can he repent for what he considers to be a sin…and how can he say sorry when no words can console a wounded heart?

…

…

**A Change Of Heart  
Part Two – Trying**

…

…

It was hurting both of them…the stunned silences, the demonic gazes, the rage building up, rising thickly into the air between them, and the ever imagined threat of the fight that never seemed to come. Sometimes, Ryou wished Bakura would just smack him about, torture him a little, anything to break the tension, and Bakura would wish that Ryou would lose his temper and strike him, giving the Yami an excuse to fight back…hard…but that time simply wasn't coming. It was either by hesitance from both parties, or by fate that they shouldn't, that they _couldn't _strike each other in such a manner – Bakura had an opinion that it was both – and so the tension mounted…and the expressions grew sour…

It had been a couple of days since the confrontation with the other Yami's, and since all three Yami's were now back – by some means or another – they were forced back to their Hikari's sides – possibly to be tortured or idolised in Atemu's and Mariku's cases – why? Not even they knew.  
One minute they were dead, the next minute they were alive…  
Powerless…and with their own mortal bodies…only their Millennium Items keeping some form of supernatural energy within them…  
It confused Bakura…  
And it made Ryou cry out…in fear…  
(_Hurts me…hurts me a lot.)_

…which made Bakura wonder…was the past series of years a waste of time? Had he been too harsh on the little light  
_(Hikari)  
_punished him when he shouldn't have? Done something to him   
_(screaming…thrusting…blood on the walls…pain in his eyes…those eyes…close them…now! NOW! CLOSE THEM NOW!)  
_that he shouldn't have? Hurt him when he shouldn't have?

It made Bakura's stomach turn over to think of his Hikari in the situations he had been in so far…and it made Ryou hurt inside to even look at the grinning white haired demon sat in his living room, eating...  
(_Plotting?)_

Both Hikari and Yami had been sat in silence, their gazes strictly turned away from each other, no spoken words between them, the pain evident on the inside of them through their expressions, and the feeling that they had never been this close yet this far apart before.  
Even when Bakura had been hurting Ryou  
_(SAY MY NAME! B-Bakuraa! That's it! Stupid Hikari…kiss me…taste me. Blood on my lips? Yes…your blood. Drink it up Hikari…good and strong Hikari. I hate you. I love it when you say that.)  
_at least they had still been close. There may have been upsets  
_(So tight…such a tight little Hikari. Bakura. Hush little Hikari. You'll get used to it. Bakura! And then you'll learn to love it. BAKURA! Yes? What is it, demanding little tight Hikari? I…I hate you…I really hate you! Really? That's funny. Because I love this…so much…now try not to scream…)  
_between them, but they were sorted now…weren't they?

Bakura assumed they were, thinking this as he reached for some more peanuts from the packet on the table in front of him, throwing them into his mouth; his fangs chewing through them noisily, one nail picking bits out of his teeth afterwards. He stole a glance at his Hikari during this and then frowned – Ryou was hunched up with his eyes fixed on the floor, his little body trembling, his frame pressed against the end of the couch, as far away from Bakura as he could squeeze himself, and with a wide eyed expression of fear on his beautiful face.  
The shadowy Yami lowered his gaze also and then growled gently, his reserve snapping  
_(YOU LITTLE WHORE!)  
_as he found himself face to face with his Hikari, the Hikari suddenly screaming in terror and surprise  
_(NO! BAKURA! PLEASE!)  
_as the Yami's nose pressed close to his, an unreadable expression on the darker one's face, his teeth revealed as two sharp jagged points as he panted hard like a dog out of breath.

"…n'y…more!"  
Bakura's words were seething with that much anger that at first they were un-intelligible, and Ryou's eyes were widening ever so slightly, before he dared breathe.  
"P-pardon?"

Bakura growled like some feral beast and then lowered his head, sighing, his grip on Ryou's arms remaining, but his anger leaving with his breath. He sucked air back in and looked up at Ryou, genuine hurt on his face.

"I can't take this any more." He repeated, slowly and painfully, his voice quivering ever so slightly, making Ryou's face soften somehow, his wariness still there, but his fear vanishing instantly.  
Maybe it was because of his expression?  
Maybe it was his words?  
Ryou didn't know, but he had calmed somewhat and was now staring into Bakura's eyes in silence, Bakura's grip remaining still, but something odd passing between them as hazel stared into scorched brown, and there was a moment of silence before…

"Can't take what?"  
Ryou's head cocked to one side and Bakura's hands released their grip on Ryou, sliding pathetically to his sides, and then he sighed and allowed a soft tone to whisper; "I don't want to hurt you."

Inside…the conflict had begun  
_(Screaming…more blood on the walls…don't you ever shut up? Shut up? Shut up? Shut up? Help me! HELP ME! Mummy…Mummy! _**Chains**_ divided by _**Metal **_multiplied by _**Steel**_ add a little snip of _**Locked**_ and multiply the result by _**Blood**_. Work the equation out, class. You have five minutes…)  
_and inside, both Ryou and Bakura were fighting a battle to either ignore  
(_Ignore me will you? Take this! And this! And this! You'll kill me! I'd torture you first! You'll go to hell! You're coming with me!)  
_or to fight and face the fears that had accumulated in their mind for the past few years. Bakura looking at Ryou trying to decide whether the Hikari was going to fight or run, Ryou trying to figure out if Bakura was going to cry or scream blue murder.

The conflict seemed to last hours…in fact it only lasted minutes…if that.

"I don't want to be hurt…Bakura."  
The statement was simple.  
That was all they needed…

…

…

Ashford2ashford: Oh dear! I left the crazed randomness of a cliff hanger! But fear not! There is a Part Three! That's if you want it! And I hoped you like my toying style of writing! See you soon!


	3. Emotions

**A Change Of Heart – Part Three – by Ashford2ashford  
Disclaimers: **Bakura: If I hear one more disclaimer I'm gonna – what? Oh. She doesn't own us. Happy now?  
**Rating: **R  
**Pairing (s): **Ryou/Bakura – aww…they're gonna try and piece it together  
**Timeline: **ALTERNATE REALITY FIC – In other words…no set timeline.  
**AN: **Well, no flames so don't be a retard and try. That's over with.  
Ahem.  
The third and final update! Wow. Sooo…emm…yeah…okay…done…  
**Summary: **Bakura's regretting doing what he did to Ryou in the past, but how can he repent for what he considers to be a sin…and how can he say sorry when no words can console a wounded heart?

…

…

**Chapter Three - Emotions**

…

…

They both sat in silence for some time, Ryou hardly daring to look up anymore, and Bakura perched on the edge of the couch; his face thoughtful. Neither albino had spoken since the words that were now echoing on the air in the thick silence had been spoken.

_"I don't want to hurt you."  
"I don't want to be hurt."_

It had stopped there. Everything had stopped. Ryou Bakura had felt wetness on his face, his own tears, and had huddled down into Bakura's chest, and Bakura's eyes had widened as he stood paralysed, unable to comment – no witty comeback, no sharp remark, and no spiteful comment…just stunned silence. The shoulders of the smaller boy had shook with tears, and the trembling, yet strangely gentle hands of the taller boy had wrapped around his hikari's shoulders – trying to be reassuring.  
Then, when the sobbing stopped, when silence replaced the air around them, then they had silently walked into the sitting room and had seated themselves, unable to give answers to the questions pounding in each other's heads. There was so much Ryou wanted to ask, and the same was said for Bakura.

"Ryou…"  
"Bakura…"

They both locked eyes at the same time, their mouths hanging open, their eyes wide with shock, and their names fluttering between them like a moth to the flame. Silence again followed, and the two tore themselves away from each other's eyes, Bakura speaking first.

"You first, Hikari."

Ryou shook his head and then blushed, out of embarrassment at this point, "Sorry. You first."

Silence…

Then Bakura stood, in irritation. They had expressed their feelings in one sentence before! Why couldn't they do it now? It was tearing the darker one apart inside. Wondering why the tense silence, why the hesitance? He was used to getting his own way – used to speaking and then having everyone hanging on his every word! Why now, when he knew that Ryou would indeed listen, were the words he wanted to say eluding him?  
Maybe it was true after all. Sorry did indeed seem to be the hardest word to say. After years of abuse and torment and forced destiny. After days and weeks and months of endless torment. After souls became trapped, after friends fell into comas, after loneliness crept into the hikari's heart, and after the pain, why now could Bakura not utter the words he so desperately wanted to say?

"Because I do have a heart." He growled.

Ryou looked up, "Pardon?"

Bakura turned to him, bold and determined, and then knelt down before him, taking hold of the pale white hands in his own, bowing his head out of thought, and then sighing gently. He looked up, burnt sienna meeting hazel, and then spoke again.

"That's why I can't speak. That's why my chest feels tight, and my heart begins to pound. That's why whenever I look at you, Ryou, my angel of light, I feel my soul lift as if a great weight had been there all along. I…"

He trailed off, and felt Ryou's hands clasp his own, mimicking the same motion he had done. Ryou smiled and there were tears in his eyes, soft gentle Hikari tears.

"Go on…" He whispered, inside knowing what Bakura had been about to say, watching Bakura's face edge closer to his, their lips barely centimetres from each other, and their eyes locked in an unknown emotion. Bakura's strong warm breath and Ryou's cold and quickened breathing.

"I…"

Their eyes closed and their lips were now millimetres away; Ryou could feel the tenderness of Bakura's lips even without them touching. They were both in their own darkness, but their lips saw for them.

"I love you."

The gap closed.

…

…

They sat there on the couch together; Ryou lay in Bakura's arms, Bakura flicking over the TV channels whilst nuzzling his face in Ryou's soft fluffy white hair gently, his eyes watching the screen. The TV cast weird dancing shadows on the darkened room – they had lost track of time and were now lay on the couch in total darkness; their only light being the flickering pictures on the TV set.  
Ryou yawned gently and snuggled back into the warmth lay behind him, his hands clutching the arm round his waist gently, his head on the arm extended towards the TV with the remote under finger and thumb. Bakura yawned also, plopping his face into the white mass in front of him and breathing in Ryou's scent.

"Something wrong?" Ryou asked, raising an arm to the top of his own head to pat Bakura's soft face gently. Bakura looked up and scowled gently, his face muffled by Ryou's white hair.

"There's nothing on."

Bakura moved and Ryou yelped suddenly as Bakura's teeth touched his neck gently; Ryou scrunching his shoulders up giggling.

"What's wrong with you?" Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"It tickles!" Ryou giggled, still feeling the tingling in his neck, one hand on the spot where Bakura's teeth had met their mark.

"Oh really?" There was a dark playfulness in his voice, and Ryou felt his hands being held to his sides, Bakura's nuzzling prying his shoulders from his neck. Bakura's teeth nibbled teasingly, deliberately tickling him, and Ryou erupted in high pitched laughter, squirming and bucking against the darker half.

Both fought well into the night, their giggles and growls interrupted only by sweet kisses and gentle yawns. Bakura winning out of sheer strength, picking up Ryou and carrying him to the stairs. Ryou's hands touching Bakura's warm chest gently, allowing himself to be cradled and carried up the stairs to his room, and then being laid down gently. Their lips met again and both boys were silent again, but this time it was a warm and gentle silence, unlike the one previously.

Ryou broke the kiss and looked up into Bakura's eyes, the memory of all those years before melting away into nothing, and the relationship between Hikari and yami taking a dramatic turn. It was as though angel and demon had been like this for years, and in honesty, they enjoyed this relationship better than they enjoyed their previous one, right down to the point where they were willing to start a new.  
Both boys lay in the soft sheets, white hair all about their shoulders, Bakura undressing Ryou gently, enjoying the feel of creamy warm skin underneath his fingertips; Ryou doing the same for him, only feeling cold smoothness underneath his fingers.

They lay there for some time, in their warmth and their silence, locked in a gentle embrace that would last through the night, even when they woke the next morning. As they drifted off to sleep, Ryou stole one last little peck on the lips from his Yami and Bakura nuzzled his hikari's hair again – this becoming his favourite part of the little light.

The silence broken by Ryou's gentle voice.

"I love you, Bakura."

Then replied by the dark well spoken voice, "And I you."

…

…

_I find it amazing even now, looking back on how Bakura and I once were, seeing how we are now. The scars have long since healed in both of our bodies and our minds, and I look into his eyes and only see tenderness in them, as I'm sure he sees in mine. When I dream, I dream of him, and I dream of his warmth and his gentleness.  
How different he is now. _

The rest couldn't believe it. Mariku was reduced to tears nearly. Yami no Yuugi – or rather Atemu – couldn't believe it either, and still refuses to believe it. They still come to blows, however, because my theory is that Bakura has changed only for me, not for anyone else, and in a way that makes me feel special.

We're lay here in the same bed now, and Bakura is dozing lightly, his head on my chest, his arms around my waist possessively, and I'm looking at his gentle features, noticing how beautiful he is even in his sleep. His eyes are closed gently, and he seems to be peaceful in his dreams – if he is dreaming that is.  
I'm lay awake as I sometimes do – just to see him sleep – and I'm thinking over our past, how it seems like a fading memory in the days when he was…shall I just say different? _Enjoying his warmth now, enjoying his touch and his scent. _

I find it hard to believe still, yet I can see it with my own eyes, and I'm happy to know, that even a demon, a demon of life, death, and ancient grudges; a demon of desire and lust and pain; a demon who once upon a star desired nothing more than to tear apart angels.  
It is simply amazing that the same demon…can still in later years…have a change of heart.

…

…

**Ashford2ashford: **_and that, my friends, is the end of that chapter in Yugioh. I hope you all enjoyed it, as I did writing it. Although slightly rushed, I think that this chapter is the best of the three, simply out of atmosphere and the like, and I hope you all agree!  
Be sure to leave a review, and I hope you'll request for another Bakura/Ryou fic someday! Until then, ADIEU!_


End file.
